The invention relates to multi-colored decals, and more particularly to adhesive skin tattoos alone and in combination with multi-color stickers and to the process of making the adhesive skin tattoos alone and in combination with multi-color stickers.
Decals for application to the skin have been made by a silk screen process in which color is deposited in a selected design on the release layer or top of decal paper by wiping the color through the pores of a mesh cloth. A separate hand operation is required for deposition of each color and it has not been possible to insure the desired degree of register accuracy particularly because of the give and stretch of the screen.
In addition to the slowness and expense of the silk screen process, the decals so produced have necessarily been artificial in appearance, particularly when secured to a skin surface. This is an unavoidable result of the thickness of the color layer, which is determined by the thickness of the screen through which the color is deposited. This deposit is incapable of the fine detail, tone gradation and other nuances of original art, i.e. a tattooed skin. Additionally, the thick color deposit tends to crack when subjected to flexing and stretching on skin.
Attempts to print decals on lithograph offset presses are often unsuccessful. Water soluble material from the release layer of the decal paper often clogs the press dampening system and causes the soluble material to adhere to the blanket roller and consequently to disrupt the printed design. Additionally, this procedure requires extensive and time consuming clean-up as well as damage to the press which might require replacement of the roller.
Furthermore, even with new improvements, lithograph offset printing still requires that individual sheets of paper be fed through the decal printing presses. Numerous sheets of paper are inherently difficult to handle. Moreover, if the sheet feeder malfunctions severe delays in the output of product can result and if the paper sheets are misaligned unacceptably imperfect decals can result.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an invention to produce decals for application to the skin that will (1) simulate an actual tattoo when applied to the skin; (2) provide a simple inexpensive process for making the decal including flexographic printing steps in which difficulties caused by water soluble material from the release layer of the decal papers are avoided; and (3) provide a simple continuous process for making the decal thereby avoiding the cumbersome use of individual sheets. There is also a need for a new and unique product which combines the highly improved skin adhesive decal with a sticker giving the user two products in one.